Sheikh Raed Salah, the leader of the northern branch of the Islamic
Movement in Israel landed at Ben-Gurion Airport on Monday evening
after a nearly year-long stay in the UK, where he won a lengthy legal
battle against the British government who tried to deport him.

Salah entered Britain in June, despite being banned from the country.
He spoke at a number of anti-Israel events before being arrested on
June 29. Last week Salah won an appeal against the British government
with a tribunal deeming his incarceration "entirely unnecessary." As
a result of his legal victory, he was allowed to leave the UK as a
free man, rather than being forcefully expelled from the country.

Upon his return to Israel on Monday, Salah was interrogated by
security forces at the airport before being released.

The Islamic Movement leader was greeted by thousands at his home in
Umm al-Faham, including MKs Taleb a-Sanaa (United Arab List-Ta´al)
and Jamal Zahalka (Balad).

Upon his arrest in Britain in June, MK Zahalka accused the UK
government of "cooperating with Israeli oppression.

“The arrest is a blow to the Arab public in Israel, which sees Sheikh
Raed Salah as one of its leaders,” Zahalka explained. “This is a
political and religious figure, and there is no justified reason to
arrest him. Instead of the UK supporting the rights of Arab citizens
in Israel, they are cooperating in harming them.”

Prior to his flight to Britain, in April of last year, Salah was
detained for questioning on suspicion that he attacked police
officers and obstructed their duties at the Allenby Bridge,
connecting the West Bank to Jordan.

Late last year, the Islamic Movement leader was released from prison
in Ramle after serving a five-month sentence.

Salah had been convicted of assaulting and spitting on a police
officer who was providing security at a demonstration sponsored by
the sheikh in 2007.